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The Underground Railroad in Seneca Falls, NY

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The Underground Railroad in Seneca Falls, NY Table of Contents Pages Topic 2-7 Some Basic Information 8-19 Seneca Falls Sites 20-26 Waterloo Sites 27-29 Some Early Settlers who brought slaves with them when they settled in Seneca County 30-33 African-American Families on Seneca Street in Ovid 32 34- Possible Underground Railroad “Stations” in the Ovid- Romulus-Varick Area 1 Part One: Some Basic Information Introduction In a discussion of the pre-Civil War history and blacks the terms “abolition,” “anti-slavery,” and “Underground Railroad” are frequently used. There are two different meanings of the term “Underground Railroad.” In its narrow meaning, it refers to the efforts of enslaved African Americans to gain their freedom by escaping bondage. For years these escaping “slaves” were called “fugitive slaves.” Today we use the more “politically correct” term “freedom seeker” to refer to them. In its broadest meaning, “Underground Railroad” refers to any kind of anti-slavery activity—not just directly helping a particular freedom seeker in some specific way escape to freedom. This article will use “Underground Railroad” in its broadest meaning, so that the terms “abolition,” “anti-slavery,” and “Underground Railroad” have basically the same meaning. The term “Underground Railroad” in its narrow meaning was neither “underground” nor a “railroad” but rather a loosely-constructed network of escape routes that originated in the Upper South, intertwined throughout the North, and eventually ended in Canada. It also included escape routes from the Deep South into the western U.S. territories, Mexico and the Caribbean. Most “freedom seekers” began their journey unaided, either alone or in small groups. They usually traveled—typically walking, especially initially—by night and “hid out” by day. Frequently these freedom seekers were assisted by African Americans (blacks) and European Americans (whites) who became known as “agents” on the Underground Railroad. These “agents” risked their lives and property to allow their homes or barns to be “safe houses” (or “stations”) en route. If these “agents” actually helped to escort physically or transport them on to another stop or “station,” these individuals became known as “conductors.” Probably the most famous conductor was Harriet Tubman. Providing aid to a runaway slave was an illegal activity, especially after Congress passed a much stronger Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. Although this law was intended to reduce the numbers of fugitive slaves, the numbers of people providing assistance to Underground Railroad operations actually increased. Because providing such aid was illegal—with a violator subject to a heavy fine as well as a jail term—Underground Railroad operations became much more secret. Records were seldom kept for fear of providing incriminating evidence. In recent years, there has been a greater realization that much can be learned about these Underground Railroad activities even though much of the work was done in secret. The examination of documents that do exist—such as census records, newspaper articles, deeds and mortgage records, wills, diaries, church records, and records of subscriptions to abolitionist publications—can help us to learn a great deal more about Underground Railroad activity than had been previously thought. In this article there will be discussion of both the Underground Railroad and other types of antislavery activity. This is necessary to comprehend the complexity and enormity of the antislavery movement in the Finger Lakes region. Much of the specific information in this article come directly from the 2005-06 sites survey project conducted in Seneca County that resulted in a report titled Discovering the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism and African American Life in Seneca County, New York, 1820-1880. This report is 2 available online in the County Historian’s portion of the Seneca County website (www.co.seneca.ny.us). This information will not be specifically sourced in this article. Information from other sources will be cited. Who Was Involved in the Underground Railroad in the Finger Lakes? Clearly people of different social classes and religions, and both racial groups and sexes were involved in the Underground Railroad and other antislavery activities in the Finger Lakes region. This will be further explained using information gathered from the Seneca County sites survey project. In terms of social class, there is the obvious role that “prominent” citizens of a community would play. For example, Ansel Bascom, a prominent real estate developer for the south side of Seneca Falls, became the Free Soil Party candidate for Congress in 1848. But we also have the efforts of more middle class and working class families, such as the Gibbs, DeMott, and Rumsey families who lived in adjacent houses on West Bayard Street in Seneca Falls. Lucius Gibbs was a carpenter who signed at least four antislavery petitions sent to Congress from Seneca Falls in May 1850. Lewis DeMott was a carpenter who supported the Free Soil party as it was being organized in Seneca Falls in the summer of 1848 and he signed antislavery petitions. Moses, Mary and Doriskie Rumsey were affiliated with the antislavery Wesleyan Methodist Church that started in Seneca Falls in 1843. Religion was a major factor that motivated many people to get involved in the Underground Railroad and other antislavery activity. Quakers are an obvious example. Because of their innate belief in the equality of everyone, many Quakers—but not all Quakers—were involved in the Underground Railroad. It is easy to envisage how Quaker households in one community would network with Quaker households in a neighboring community to help freedom seekers on their way through the Finger Lakes region. While the Seneca County sites survey project did not specifically identify Quakers living in Seneca Falls, it is clear that many of the freedom seekers who got on the train at the Seneca Falls station had moved through Quaker “safe houses” in the Sherwood-Union Springs-Cayuga area of Cayuga County. Throughout central and western New York we have many Protestants who became involved in antislavery activity as an outgrowth of the Second Great Awakening. This portion of New York State became known as the “burned-over district” with many people determined to “correct” social evils with their new strengthened belief that man can avoid sin and should do so. Many “come-outer” churches arose with a renewed determination to do away with slavery. New Wesleyan Methodist churches were established in many communities when a sufficient number of the congregation split away from the existing Methodist church which they felt did not take a strong enough stand against slavery. These Wesleyan Methodist churches also attracted strong antislavery people from other church denominations. It is probably safe to say that the members of these churches would not turn away and refuse to provide food and housing to any freedom seeker coming to their house. As will be reported later in-depth, the Wesleyan Methodist church in Seneca Falls was directly involved in helping freedom seekers. The comments made so far illustrate the involvement of various classes and religions of European Americans. African Americans were also directly involved in the antislavery efforts. There were growing numbers of African Americans living in the Finger Lakes region. Many African Americans had been brought to the Finger Lakes region as slaves and were later granted their freedom and continued to live here, as did their children. We also have some free African Americans who came into the Finger Lakes region, taking advantage of the job opportunities in this region, stimulated by the completion of the Erie Canal and its connecting canals, and the coming of the railroads. As will be reported later in-depth, Solomon Butler probably played a major role here in Seneca Falls. It is important to realize that it took both females and males to provide the necessary shelter and food for the freedom seekers as they made their way on the Underground Railroad through the Finger Lakes region. It clearly was the females in the household that cooked the food, etc. But females were important in other ways, such as in organizing antislavery fairs, for example, to raise funds that freedom seekers needed for train or boat fares, etc. Several anti-slavery fairs were held in Seneca Falls. Not everyone living in Seneca Falls, Waterloo, or the Finger Lakes was anti-slavery. There were many who were strongly abolitionist, especially after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, largely because 3 of their opposition to a law that they thought was morally wrong. Nevertheless, there were many who were quite sympathetic to slavery or were just plain prejudiced, believing that blacks really were racially inferior to whites. Some slavery sympathizers were motivated by economic reasons—their livelihood depended upon the successful operation of the cotton textile mills in the area. There also was a segment of the population that really didn’t care much one way or the other regarding slavery, as long as the issue didn’t cause a major disruption in their lives. Newspapers at the time typically had a strong political conviction, so there were anti-slavery newspapers (such the Ontario Messenger in Canandaigua) while other newspaper defended slavery in general and/or the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act (such as the Geneva Gazette). What Kinds of Antislavery Activity Were Taking Place in Seneca Falls? Many antislavery societies were established. In 1836 Geneva established its Colored Anti-Slavery Society. In 1837 the Seneca County Anti-Slavery Society was formed in Seneca Falls at the Methodist Church. In 1838 the Rochester Anti-Slavery Society was established and the Western New York Anti-Slavery Society in 1842. Many Seneca Falls residents attended meetings of these various organizations, with some being key leaders. Many communities sent antislavery petitions to Congress.
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